PYSZ, Rafal, Stanislaw (2/25 Aerial Place, Morley, Western Australia 6062, AU)
PANIZZA, Phillip, Anthony (30 The Return, Woodvale, Western Australia 6026, AU)
MADON, Jerzy (10 Highview Rise, Ballajura, Western Australia 6066, AU)
PYSZ, Rafal, Stanislaw (2/25 Aerial Place, Morley, Western Australia 6062, AU)
PANIZZA, Phillip, Anthony (30 The Return, Woodvale, Western Australia 6026, AU)
THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. An animal handling system comprising: one or more coupling devices for releasably coupling to the animal ; a plurality of work stations; and, a transfer device that is movable between a first and a second of the work stations, the transfer device having one or more capturing devices for releasably capturing at least one of the animal coupling devices, wherein the coupling devices are captured by one of the capturing devices while the animal is being moved between the first and second work stations.
2. An animal handling system according to claim 1, wherein each of the work stations has one or more latching mechanisms for releasably latching one of the coupling devices while the animal is located at a particular work station, and wherein the coupling devices are simultaneously latched in the latching mechanisms and captured in the capturing device to effect hand over of the coupling devices from the first station to the second station.
3. An animal handling system according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the transfer device is further provided with actuation means for moving the capturing devices between an extended position, in which a capturing device captures a coupling device, and a retracted position.
4. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the transfer device is provided on a rail above the work stations .
5. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of work stations comprises at least three work stations, and the transfer device is one of at least two transfer devices .
6. An animal handling system according to claim 5, wherein the at least two transfer devices are connected such that the at least two transfer devices are moved between work stations simultaneously.
7. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the transfer devices are moved by an indexing actuator.
8. An animal handling system according to claim 7, wherein the indexing actuator moves each transfer device from a home position to an indexed position and subsequently back to the home position.
9. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each of the coupling devices is connected to a resilient line mechanism that depends from a carriage that is movable along an elevated rail that extends above the work stations.
10. An animal handling system according to claim 9, wherein the carriage is coupled to a transfer device so that each carriage moves with a corresponding transfer device.
11. An animal handling system according to claim 3, wherein the actuation means comprises of one or more linear actuator.
12. An animal handling system according to claim 11, wherein one of the linear actuators is provided for each of the capturing devices .
13. An animal handling system according to claim 11, wherein one of the linear actuators is provided for two or more capturing devices .
14. An animal handling system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the capturing devices each have a pair of jaws that can apply a clamping force therebetween.
15. An animal handling system according to claim 14, wherein the capturing devices are pneumatically actuated.
16. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the animal handling system is for use in wool harvesting.
17. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising at least one conveyor for supporting animals while being processed in the animal handling system.
18. An animal handling system according to any one of claims 2 to 17, wherein each latching mechanism is provided on a manipulator that allows the latching mechanism to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein the latching mechanisms are located in the first position when the coupling devices are simultaneously latched in the latching mechanisms and captured in the capturing device, and wherein the latching mechanisms are located in the second position while the animal is being moved between the two work stations.
19. A method of handling an animal comprising: providing a plurality of work stations at which a process may be performed on the animal; releasably coupling one or more coupling devices to the animal ; releasably capturing the one or more coupling devices with a capturing device; moving the animal between a first and second of the stations while the coupling devices are captured in the capturing devices .
20. The method according to claim 19 comprising: providing one or more latching mechanisms at each work station for releasably latching a coupling device and operating the capturing device to maintain capture of the coupling device until the coupling device is latched by the latching mechanism to effect hand over of the coupling device from one station. to another. |
AN ANIMAL HANDLING SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an animal handling system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present applicant has developed numerous apparatus and methods for handling animals, in particular sheep for the purposes of wool harvesting (also known as de-fleecing) . Examples of such apparatus and methods are described in Australia Patent Application No. 2003252759.
The present invention is the result of research into animal handling systems, and field trials on the apparatus and methods described in the applicant's earlier filed patent applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an animal handling system comprising: one or more coupling devices for releasably coupling the animal ; a plurality of work stations; and, a transfer device that is movable between two of the work stations, the transfer device having one or more capturing devices for releasably capturing at least one of the animal coupling devices,
wherein the coupling devices are captured by one of the capturing devices while the animal is being indexed between two of the work stations .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more easily understood, an embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an end view of an animal handling system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the transfer device of the animal handling system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the animal handling system of Figure 1, showing a clamping device incorporated in the system in an extended position;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a transfer device of the animal handling system of Figure 3, showing the clamping device in an extended position;
Figure 5 is a side view of a shuttle incorporated in the system of Figure 1, showing the clamping device in a retracted position;
Figure 6 is a side view of a shuttle of Figure 1, showing the clamping device in an extended position;
Figure 7 is a side view of an animal handling system of Figure 1 ;
Figure 8 is a side view of the shuttle of the animal handling system shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a view of the clamping device, in an extended position, and latching mechanism of the animal handling system of Figure 1; and,
Figure 10 is a view of the clamping device, in an extended position, and latching mechanism of the animal handling system of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 to 7 show an animal handling system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The animal handling system 10 has a first conveyor 12 with a rail 14 elevated above a support 16 and one or more (in this instance, a plurality) of carriages 18 moveable along the rail 14. A resiliently supported line mechanism 20 is suspended from each carriage 18 and a coupling device in the form of limb restraints 22 attached to the line mechanism 20 for coupling an animal, such as a sheep, to the carriage 18.
The coupling device can take the form of any coupling device suitable for coupling to the limbs of an animal, such as a sheep. However a particularly well suited coupling device is the limb restraint described in Australian Patent Application No. 2003246022, originally filed in the name of the present Applicant, the contents of which is included herein by way of reference .
The rail 14 is configured in an elongated endless loop so that the carriages 18 circulate about the loop and over the support 16. A chain or belt system (not shown) is incorporated in the first conveyor 12 to drive the carriages 18 along the rail 14.
The resiliently supported line mechanism 20 comprises a housing 26 coupled to the carriage 18 which houses a
tether such as a steel cable (not shown) which is biased by a spring ■ (not shown) to retract the cable into the housing 26. The tether may also be in the form of a rope, chain or strap. This arrangement is sometimes referred to as a "sprung line" . When no tension is placed on the tether it is retracted to its maximum extent within the housing 26. When applying tension to the tether greater than the bias provided by the spring acting on the tether, the tether is extended from the housing 26.
As shown in Figure 7, the support 16 includes a plurality of work stations 30a-30g (hereinafter referred to in general as "work stations 30") at which various operations can be performed on the sheep. Each of work station has one or more releasable latching mechanisms 34 for releasably latching the limb restraints 22. In this embodiment, each of work stations 30b to 30g has two latching mechanisms 34. Furthermore, work station 30a has a single latching mechanism 34, for latching a limb restraint 22 that couples the rear limbs of the sheep.
Each latching mechanism 34 is coupled to a corresponding manipulator 36 which in turn is coupled to a corresponding work station 30.
The sheep are supported in a supine position on an upper run of at least one, and in this case three, endless belt conveyors 38, 40, 42. In one embodiment, a controller (not shown) can be arranged to drive the conveyor belts 38, 40 and 42 synchronously with the carriages 18.
Further details of the conveyor belts 38, 40, 42 can be found in Australian Patent Application No. 2003252759,
originally in the name of the present Applicant, the contents of which is enclosed herein by reference.
In one embodiment, each latching mechanism 34 includes a pneumatic ram 54 coupled to a claw or gripper 56 for selectively opening and closing the gripper 56. When closed, the grip 56 can grip a bar 24 of a limb restraint 22 (see Figure 2) to thereby attach the limb restraint 22 to the corresponding manipulator 36. Of course, when the gripper 56 is open, the bar 24 can be withdrawn from the gripper 56 allowing the sheep coupled to the devices 22 to be transported by the first conveyor 12.
As described in Australian Patent Application No. 200352759, the position of the gripper 56 on some of the manipulators 36 can be pivoted on an axis to manipulate the sheep into a particular position when located at some of the work stations 30. Figure 7 shows, for each work station 30 provided with manipulators 36 that are movable, first and second positions of the respective manipulators 36.
Above the support 16, at least one (in this instance, a plurality of) transfer devices 60a- 6Of (hereinafter referred to in general as "transfer devices 60") is provided. Each transfer device 60 is movable along a rail 58, which is elevated above the work stations 30. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each transfer device 60 has a capture device 61. In this embodiment, the capture device 61 is in the form of a pair of clamps 62. As best shown in Figures 2 and 4, the clamps 62 are each connected to one end of an actuation means, in the form of a linear actuator 64. Accordingly, the clamps 62 are moved between
a retracted position (as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5) , and an extended position (as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6) . When in the extended position, the clamps 62 are each in a position that can be adjacent to one of the latching mechanisms 34.
Figures 9 and 10 show a clamp 62 adjacent a latching mechanism 34. The clamp 62 has a pair of jaws 66, which are movable between an open position and a closed position. Accordingly, a pair of jaws 66 can be brought towards each other to clamp the bar 24 of a limb restraint 22. In this embodiment, each jaw 66 is provided with a metal-backed rubber plate 68, which faces the corresponding opposing jaw 66 (for clarity the metal- backed rubber plates 68 have been removed from figures 9 and 10) . In one embodiment, the jaws 66 are movable by a pneumatic actuator (not shown) . However, it is to be appreciated that alternative actuation means may be employed.
In this embodiment, when a sheep is brought to the first work station 30a an operator lowers a limb restraint 22 from a respective carriage 18 above work station 30a and couples the rear limbs of the sheep. The bar 24 of this limb restraint 22 is presented to the latching mechanism 34 of the first work station 30a. The grippers 56 of the respective latching mechanism 34 automatically latch the limb restraint 22.
Following the de-fleecing operation at the first work station 30a, the operator lowers another limb restraint 22 from a carriage 18. The front limbs of the sheep are
coupled to the limb restraint 22.
The latching mechanisms 34 at the first work station 30a are moved into the first position. The clamps 62 of the transfer device 60a (which has a home position' above the first work station 30a) are then lowered to their extended positions. One of the clamps 62 clamp the bar 24 of the limb restraint 22 coupled to the rear limbs of the sheep. The operator then presents the bar 24 of the limb restraint 22, which is coupled to the fore limbs of the sheep, to the other of the clamps 62.
The sheep is then be indexed from the first work station 30a to the second work station 30b. In this embodiment, during the indexing movement the transfer device 60a, the carriages 18 and the belt conveyors 38, 40, 42 are simultaneously advanced from the first work station 30a to the second work station 30b.
When the sheep has arrived at the second work station 30b, the latching mechanisms 34 of the second work station 30b are moved from their second positions into their first positions by movement of the respective manipulators. The bars 24 of the limb restraints 22 are latched in the latching mechanisms 34 of the second work station 30b. Once the bars 24 have been latched, the jaws 66 of the clamps 62 then release the respective bar 24. The clamps 62 are then moved into their retracted position.
The transfer device 60, with the clamps 62 in the retracted position, is returned to its home position while the operations are being performed on the sheep at the work stations 30.
Similar operation of the latching mechanisms 34 and transfer devices 60 occurs for the indexing of a sheep from each work station 30b to 3Of, to the subsequent work station 30c to 30g. However, each of work stations 30b to 3Og has a pair of latching mechanisms 34.
As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the clamp 62 clamps the bar 24 adjacent to, and above, the latching mechanisms 34, when the latching mechanisms are in their first positions. Thus, the animal handling system 10 is able to effect a hand over of the limb restraints 22 between the transfer device 60 and the latching mechanisms 34 before and after the indexing movements .
Accordingly, between work stations 30a and 3Og, once the limb restraints 22 are coupled to the sheep, the limb restraints 22 are:
1. latched in latching mechanisms 34 in one of the work stations 30, while the operations are being performed on the sheep,-
2. clamped in the clamps 62, while the sheep is being indexed from one of the work stations 30 to the next of the work stations 30; or, 3. simultaneously latched in the latching mechanisms 34 and clamped in the clamps 62 of the transfer devices 60, prior to and following indexing of the sheep.
Thus, the limb restraints 22 are not in an uncontrolled state while attached to a sheep; that is, between work stations 30a and 3Og. During the indexing movement, sheep are not able to flay their limbs, or the limb restraints 22. Thus, maintaining a live animal in a controlled state
can assist in reducing injury to the animal and in reducing injury to operators.
Following the de-fleecing operation at the final work station 3Og, the sheep is released from the limb restraints 22 and moved away from the work stations. The limb restraints 22 are raised to their respective carriage and able to be returned to the first work station 30a.
As shown in Figure 8, in this embodiment the transfer devices 60a to 6Of are all connected to form a shuttle 70. Accordingly, the shuttle 70 indexes all transfer devices 60 simultaneously, and also indexes each transfer device 60a to 6Of by the same distance. The linear and sequential arrangement of the work stations 30 allows the transfer devices 60 to be connected to form the shuttle 70.
In order to move the shuttle 70, an indexing actuator (not shown) is provided. In this embodiment, the indexing actuator is operated by a pneumatic drive system. It is to be appreciated that hydraulic or electro-magnetic drive systems may alternatively be employed.
In order to provide unobstructed movement of the transfer devices 60 during the indexing movement, the latching mechanisms 34 can be moved into the second position by moving of the respective manipulators 36. In this embodiment, the movement of the latching mechanisms 34 at each work station 30 is performed automatically.
Alternatively or additionally, the movement may be performed manually by the operator at each work station 30.
Referring to Figure 7, the animal handling system 10 can be housed in a trailer 90 so as to be easily transportable to a flock of sheep. This allows the shearers to go to the sheep rather than the sheep being driven to the shearers. The work stations 30 are supported via a floor 92 and underlying chassis 94 of the trailer 90. The trailer 90 can also house other equipment which may be useful in a mobile shearing system such as wool bins, wool presses, fleece classing table, fleece testing equipment, and a sheep lifter 100 for lifting sheep up to the first work stations 30a. The sheep lifter 100 may ideally be in the form described in the Australian Patent Application No. 2003236438, originally filed in the name of the present Applicant, the contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference .
The provision of multiple work stations 30 allows the systematic "production line" de-fleecing of sheep for example as described in the Applicant's Australian Patent No. 725111.
Now that an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the basic inventive concepts. For example, the system 10 is depicted as being a mobile system mounted in a trailer 90. However, the system may be fixed at a chosen location. Also, the number of stations 30 can be varied. The degrees of freedom provided to the manipulators 36 can also be changed to suit the application at hand. For
example, the manipulators may be provided with three or more degrees of freedom.
The embodiment described above has a single linear actuator 64 for each clamp 62. Alternatively, each transfer device 60 could be provided with one linear actuator for moving two or more clamps 62 between the retracted and extended position.
The work stations 30 of the present embodiment are arranged sequentially, in that a sheep progresses through each of work station 30a to 3Og in turn. Moreover, the work stations 30a to 3Og are aligned along a linear path. However, it is to be appreciated that in alternate embodiments of the animal handling system the work stations may be arranged in a non-linear path and/or in a non-sequential manner. Such embodiments may be provided in a handling system in which are a number of operators all perform the same operation at one of a set of like work stations. Accordingly, the transfer devices 60 may be arranged to index the animal from, for example, one work station, to any one of a set of like work stations.
In one embodiment, the indexing actuator can be used to advance the carriages 18 during the indexing movement. In such an embodiment the indexing actuator would be arranged to drive a carriage 18 in a first (indexing) direction, but not in a second (opposing) direction.
The capture devices 61 can take alternative forms to the clamps 62. For example, a magnetic latch may be used to hold the coupling device (such as the bar 24 of the limb restraints 22) .
In the claims of this application and in the description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the words "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense; that is, to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
It will be clearly understood that, although prior art use and publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these form a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country.
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